Anthropogenic Changes

The United Nations has published 17 sustainable development goals. Goal 11 specifically relates to Sustainable Cities and Communities one of the ways the United Nations outlines to achieve this goal is — “By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management”. Which of the following step would best help a city meet United Nations Goal 11?

• Reduce the amount of landfills from local cities

• Encourage the residents to use single-use plastics

• Create a local farmer's market and allow access to local goods

• Add a recycling plant to the waste management department

A corn farm near the coast of Florida applies a nitrogen based fertilizer to their soil three times a year. Some of the fertilizer runs off into the ocean causing the nitrogen levels in the water to increase and a rapid growth of algae. This is known as eutrophication. How does eutrophication affect other organisms in the water

• It provides additional food for other organisms

• It reduces the amount of oxygen available to other organisms

• It increases the amount of oxygen available to other organisms

• It doesn't have an affect on other organisms

Hurricane Andrew passes through the Atlantic ocean and destroys many of the coastal regions of Southeast Florida. Which best describes an impact of the catastrophic event on biodiversity?

• Species that depend on coastal wetlands for survival may lose some of their habitat and have a decline in population

• The storm surge will introduce non native species to the coastal wetlands

• The coastal wetlands will grow with the nutrients from the storm surge and biodiversity will increase

• The saltwater intrusion will flood the coastal wetlands and raise the salt in the water making it uninhabitable for local species that will cause a decrease in biodiversity

Saltwater intrusion occurs when sea levels rise and cause high concentrations of saltwater to move further inland into freshwater. Why is it important to monitor salinity levels at both locations?

• To demonstrate which wetlands are more stable

• To determine how each wetland will use the influx of nutrients

• To evaluate changing salinity from the freshwater wetlands to saltwater wetlands

• To understand how organisms will benefit from saltwater algae

A saw mill located on a coastal region of Florida experienced an accident in which a large portion of toxic waste from the plant leaked into the ocean. This waste contained dioxins which affect animal health and the environment. The company cleans up the waste and the state requires that they hire an ecologist for the next 10 years to monitor the area. Which statement best explains why the state required the company to hire an ecologist?

• The state wants to be sure there are no new, mutated species

• The state wants to see if the spill will have a continue impact on biodiversity

• The state needs to be sure the company will not be sued by the EPA

• The state needs to ensure the company spent enough money to restore the environment

While dry cleaners are small businesses, they generate relatively large volumes of hazardous substances. EPA estimates the average dry cleaner generates 660 gallons of hazardous wastes a year. Unlike petroleum contamination which may break down over time by naturally occurring bacteria in the environment, the chlorinated solvents that are used by dry cleaners are resistant to biodegradation. As a result, groundwater contamination from dry cleaners has a greater potential to migrate off-site which can be problematic since dry cleaners are often located within proximity to residential neighborhoods. Indeed, a 2002 Florida study found that dry cleaner contamination had migrated off-site at 57 percent of the contaminated sites. Due to these types of environmental hazards when commercial land is sold require a Phase 1 Environmental Assessment according to the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act. Why would the type of monitoring required as part Phase 1 Environmental Assessments be important if a dry cleaner was being sold?

• This type of monitoring will allow the government to only sell land to businesses that have environmentally friendly practices

• The monitoring prevents the land from being resold to any dry cleaning business which damage the environment

• The monitoring will allow the government to determine which type of business is better for the environment

• The monitoring will indicate any environmental damage done that should be remediated prior to selling the land